1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to packaging design for consumer electronic devices and more particularly, methods and apparatus for providing packaging and RF shielding configurations for memory chips used in consumer electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, portable computing devices such as laptops, PDAs, media players, cellular phones, etc., have become small, light and powerful. One factor contributing to this reduction in size can be attributed to the manufacturer's ability to fabricate various components of these devices in smaller and smaller sizes while in most cases increasing the power and or operating speed of such components. Another factor contributing to the reduction in size is that from a visual stand point, users often find compact and sleek designs of consumer electronic devices more aesthetically appealing and thus, demand compact and sleek designs. The trend of smaller, lighter, more compact and powerful presents continuing challenges in the design portable computing devices and its associated components.
One design discipline that enables small and compact devices is the area internal packaging. A particular device will have a desired form factor and functionality. The desired form factor determines a size of the housing in which all of the device components that provide the desired functionality are packaged. The internal packing design involves minimizing any unused dead-space that does not contribute in some way to the functioning of the device while still fitting the needed components in an allotted space dictated by the form factor. Extra space resulting from an efficient packaging design can be used to enable other design goals, such as 1) making the enclosure thinner, 2) making the enclosure or other components stronger and more shock resistant, 3) improving device performance, such as increasing a battery size which can lead to an improved device performance or 4) addressing RF shielding or other antenna related issues.
One approach that can aid in the packaging design of a compact computing device and help to meet design goals, such as achieving an enclosure of a specified thickness, is to design multi-purpose components. As an example, in the design of a portable computing device, a first component can be dedicated towards achieving a first design goal, such as electrically connecting two components, while a second component can be dedicated towards achieving a second design goal, such as shielding an antenna from extraneous radio frequency (RF) signals. Designed independently, the first component and the second component will each be associated with structure that allows the respective component to perform its intended function. The structure associated with each component will occupy space in the compact computing devices' enclosure.
In some instances, it may be possible to design the first component and the second component interdependently such that a single component is designed that maintains the functions of the first component and the second component while using less structure than when the components are designed independently. For instance, an electrically conducting and RF shielding component can be designed. In view of the above, it is desired to provide designs for multi-purpose components usable in a compact computing device that utilize less structure and take up less space in an enclosure than when the multiple purposes are provided using separately designed components.